160 West Court Street, Amherst VA

Today reminded me that ministry begins at home.

As I stayed to care for my family, my first God-given ministry, I was still blessed to join in worship with Mount Olive Baptist Church of Amherst, VA through their online streaming service. And what a powerful service it was.

The choir began with the hymn “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.”

Over the past few weeks, this same song has appeared again and again in my life, in different places, in unexpected moments, almost like God Himself was singing it over me.

Today, when I heard it again, I knew it was not coincidence. It was confirmation. I am clinging to His unchanging hand, and He will never let me go.

The service opened with a prayer of thanksgiving, praising God for every blessing, for every breath, and for His goodness in our lives each and every day.

There was a prayer for protection, and I loved how it included protection not just from what we can see, but from what we cannot see. It reminded me that the unseen battles, the spiritual attacks, the darts of the enemy are real.

Yet God shields us with His mercy and covers us with His grace.

Pastor delivered a sermon titled “Come to the Waters of God” an invitation that rang out like a trumpet call to the soul.

He read from Isaiah, where God invites us: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”

The Pastor reminded us that this invitation is greater than any earthly invitation we will ever receive. This is not a dinner party or a banquet hall, this is God inviting us into His abundance.

Why waters and not just water? From Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God is filled with living waters. In Genesis, the Spirit of God moved over the waters. In Revelation, we are told that the Lamb will lead us to fountains of living waters and wipe away every tear. Between the beginning and the end, God is always pointing us back to the waters, the symbol of His Spirit, His presence, His cleansing, and His life.

The Pastor reminded us that Isaiah’s assignment was eternal. His words spoke to the Israelites in their brokenness, but they also speak across time to us today.

Whatever we do for God, he said, ought to outlive us. Isaiah’s mission was not about living a comfortable life, it was about living an obedient one. That challenged me deeply: Am I living in such a way that my obedience will echo into eternity?

He spoke of the waters as protection, as healing, as the very essence of God’s invitation to us. And then, in a moment that pierced my soul, he spoke directly to those who had endured sexual abuse. As a survivor myself, I knew this word was meant for me. It was God’s way of saying, “I see you. I know your pain. Come to the waters. I will heal you.”

Isaiah 55 tells us: “Incline your ear, and come to Me; listen, that you may live.”

The Pastor emphasized that what we hear shapes how we live. That hit me hard. What voices am I allowing into my life? Am I listening to God’s Word with the ear of faith? Or am I distracted by the noise of the world, the lies of the enemy, the whispers of doubt?

He reminded us that Satan will always fight to keep us from hearing God’s voice. Lies create fog, they make it hard to see truth clearly. But if I choose to listen, really listen to the voice of God, then life springs up in me again. The Word of God is not just something to hear; it is life itself to my soul.

This message came at exactly the right time. Lately, I have felt overwhelmed, even as though God has been silent in some of my prayers. But today reminded me, perhaps He has not been silent; perhaps I have not been listening closely enough. The invitation remains: “Come to the waters.”

And so I will. I will keep clinging to His unchanging hand. I will keep seeking, keep walking, keep listening. I will not give up. I will push through because I know my God is faithful, and I am nothing without Him.

I want to thank the church family of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Amherst for the love they show, for the prayers, and for faithfully preaching the Word of God. I cannot wait to join you in person soon and wrap my arms around you with gratitude.

I pray my life will always be evidence of God’s goodness, and that everything I do, every word, every step, every act of faith would bring glory to Him.

Until then, I will keep walking with the Lord, holding on to His unchanging hand, knowing He is leading me to still waters, restoring my soul.